Houchin runs wild in Bozeman; Sprockets ready for home race

Ryan Peoples did not get much time to play on the turf of Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

But the Butte Central senior quarterback certainly made the most of his opportunity on the University of Montana campus. Peoples tied a team record when he tossed five touchdown passes in the 40-0 win over Ronan.

According to records compiled by Brian Reed and the late Pat Kearney, Peoples tied the mark shared by his cousin Danny Peoples (2014 vs. Stevensville), Jack Keeley (2022 vs. Browning), Tomas McGree (2019 vs. Browning), Tanner Kump (2015 vs. Stevensville), Brady Tippett (2011 vs. Corvallis) and R.J. Olson (1993 vs. Browning).

Peoples also tossed five touchdown passes in a thrilling 37-34 win over Browning last season. This time, though, he did it all in one quarter.

The game was halted for a lightning delay just two minutes into the second quarter. Instead of waiting out Mother Nature, Ronan’s administration decided the lopsided score was enough. So, the game was stopped.

Now, Butte Central coaches were not about to play their quarterback the entire game with the score so out of hand. It is not coach Don Peoples Jr.’s M.O. to run the score up on any team. But Coach Peoples and his staff have a good understanding of history, so there is a good bet that Ryan Peoples would have tossed a record-breaking TD had the game been allowed to resume.

As it was, Peoples put on a class in efficiency in the win. He completed 6 of 8 passes for 174 yards. In the NFL, that would have translated into a nearly-perfect 156.25 passer rating.

The Maroons scored on all six of their possessions in the first quarter. Peoples hit Jack Nagle for a 26-yard score to open the game. He followed with TD strikes of 14 and 29 yards to Jaxon Hiatt and GG Fantini.

After a 26-yard TD pass to Henly Mansanti, Peoples threw a 36-yard score to Treigh Hollow.

Then the quarterback capped the scoring with a nine-yard run.

Behind an offensive line made up of J.J. Taylor, Burkley Lakkala, Colt Hassler, Jack Nylund and Bobby McCarthy, the Maroons ran for 93 yards on just nine carries.

Defensively, the Maroons held the Chiefs to minus 27 yards off offense and zero first downs.

Hiatt picked off a pass, while Danny McCarthy, Bobby McCarthy, Palmer Kellicut and Taylor each registered a sack.

“Our kids came out and played great football tonight and played with great focus and intensity,” Coach Peoples said. “I’m proud of how our staff and players prepared for this game.”

At 2-1, BC now has a week off. The Maroons are back in action Sept. 26 when they welcome Corvallis to the Bob Green Field for Homecoming.

Bulldogs look for another rebound

Butte High’s football team did not have a record-breaking Friday night when they took on Kalispell Glacier at Naranche Stadium. Instead, the Bulldogs ran into perhaps the best team in the state.

The Wolfpack took the lead early and never looked back in the 42-0 victory in the Western AA opener.

Glacier quarterback Jackson Presley showed why he is listed as a three-star recruit, completing 13 of 167 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Asher Knopik ran for 121 yards and two scores on just two carries.

The Bulldogs are 1-2 overall. After dropping their home open to Gallatin, the Bulldogs went Billings Skyview for a convincing Thursday night win. They are hoping to do that again this Thursday when they head to Missoula to take on Big Sky in a 7 p.m. battle at Missoula County Stadium.

The Eagles are 3-0 with three convincing wins. They opened the season with a 41-3 home win over Billings Senior. They then went to Great Falls High for a 27-6 win over the Bison. Last week, the Eagles went to Helena to open Western AA play with a 38-0 romp over Capital.

Junior dual-threat quarterback Eli Kasberg leads the potent Eagle offense into battle. He has passed for nine touchdowns compared to just one interception through three games. He is also averaging 6 yards per carry, and he has three rushing TDs.

Senior receiver Cormack Batt is averaging 37.1 yards per reception. He has five TDs receiving on the young season.

The Bulldogs will head to Missoula looking for more consistency in all facets of the game. Senior tight end Hudson Luedtke is averaging nearly 100 years per game receiving, and senior Kaleb Celli has emerged as a go-to target for senior quarterback Brooks Vincent.

Senior Peyton Johnson is one game removed from a 97-yard performance.

Defensively, senior Mitch Verlanic leads the Bulldogs with 24 total tackles, two ahead of junior Jager Hansen. Gunnar Bushman, Bradey Doyle, Raeder Grey, Reece Cunneen and Luedtke also have double-digit tackles on the season. Cunneen, Sawyer Casey and Kadyn Sommer each have a sack. Hansen and Verlanic each have two picks on the season. Luedtke has one.

Junior linebacker Finn Wortham saw his most extensive time as a Bulldog, and he tied with Bushman and Verlanic to lead the team with seven total tackles.

The Bulldogs will be back at Naranche Stadium next Friday night to celebrate Homecoming against Missoula Sentinel.

Knights sweep Bulldogs

Missoula Hellgate swept a Western AA volleyball match with Butte High Friday night. Each set was a hotly-contested battle, but the Knights won 25-23, 25-20, 25-22. (Boxscore)

Cady Schneider, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, spiked 21 kills to lead the powerful Hellgate attack.

Gracie Jonart and Stella Callaghan each killed seven to lead the Bulldogs. Avery Barness added five, and Brittyn Klima killed four.

Cadence Graham led the Bulldog backcourt with 14 digs. She was followed by Ellison Graham and Callaghan with seven and Ellie Yates with six. Ellison Graham dished up 22 assists.

The Bulldogs are still looking to get into the win column. They will travel to Kalispell this weekend for a pair of Western AA matches. They will take on Glacier on Friday before battling Flathead on Saturday.

Butte High will play its Homecoming match a week from Thursday against Helena Capital.

Ronan sweeps past Maroons

Ronan beat Butte Central’s volleyball team in three seats Saturday in Ronan.

The Maidens won 25-12, 25-17 and 26-24.

Statistics for the Maroons are not available.

BC will play a pair of Southwestern A matches this week. The Maroons will travel to Stevensville on Thursday before playing host to Corvallis at the Maroon Activities Center on Saturday.

Houchin runs 15:33 in Bozeman

Butte High senior Camden Houchin has been putting up some times that are pretty rare when it comes to Bulldog runners. He’s been doing that for a while now.

What he did Saturday at the Bozeman Cross Country Invitation on the Bridger Creek Golf Course, though, is borderline ridiculous. (Results)

Houchin busted off a personal best time of 15 minutes, 33.40 seconds in the 5-kilometer race. That was good for eighth place in the talented field of 28 teams.

Bozeman’s Miles Halvorson won with a time of 15:05.37. Glacier’s Owen Thiel was second at 15:12.13, followed by Bozeman’s Taylor Neil at 15:14.35.

Houchin’s season-best time last year was 16:18.40. He beat that in all three races this season. His PR before Saturday was 16:11, which came Aug. 29 in Boulder.

Senior Levi Wiltsie placed 31st in the field with an impressive time of 16:38.31

That, too, was a personal-best mark and the second time Wiltsie went under 17 minutes. His previous best was 16:52.0 in Boulder.

Wiltsie will sign to run at the University of Providence in Great Falls on Thursday. A signing ceremony is set for 3:30 p.m. at Butte High.

Lincoln Zell finished in 17:43 for Butte High, while fellow senior Charles Killebrew crossed in 18:30, and junior Nathan Knopp finished in 18:45.

Also for running for the Bulldog boys were Jason Real (19:10), Johan Theiszen (19:19) and Colton Yoakum (19:26).

Bozeman won the boys’ team title with 45 points. Sheridan, Wyoming was second at 109, followed by Missoula Hellgate at 120. Butte High placed 16th at 409.

Bozeman also won the girls’ crown with 51 points. Gallatin was second at 119, and Helena High placed third at 155.

Butte High did not have enough girls for a team score.

Freshman Sophia Houchin paced the Bulldogs, crossing in 2019.94. Sophomore Penelope Luebke finished in 21:36, freshman Elsa Theiszen crossed in 21:57 and senior Kellie Jo Carpenter ran in 24:24.

The Bulldogs will get another serious test Saturday when they head to Missoula for the Mountain West Classic.

Butte Central will also send runners to the prestigious Missoula meet. On Saturday, BC sent four varsity runners to Corvallis. (Results)

Joe Bradshaw (22:53), Roman Terry (26:12) and Conan Holmes (26:24) ran for the BC boys. Ashley White (25:09) ran for the girls.

Copper Sprockets host race

The Butte Copper Sprockets youth mountain bike team will hold certified Montana Interscholastic Cycling League race Saturday in the Big Butte Open Space area.

The Copper Kings Classic, which is the fourth race of the season and will feature hundreds of riders, will begin at 9 a.m. at the trailhead just west of the Montana Tech campus.

Volunteers are needed to put on the race. Click here if you are interested in volunteering some time on Friday and/or Saturday to help the event run smoothly.

Looking ahead

Butte High’s soccer teams will hit the road this weekend looking for their first wins of the season.

The Bulldog teams will play at Kalispell Glacier on Friday. They will stay in Kalispell to take on Glacier on Saturday.

Butte High’s flag football team put on a crowd-pleasing halftime exhibition during the Butte High-Glacier football game Friday night.  This Saturday, the Bulldogs will look to build on that momentum when they head to Missoula to take on Boulder and Missoula Sentinel.

The next home action for the flag football team is set for Sept. 27 against East Helena.

Butte High’s golfers will host a tournament Thursday and Friday. Play begins at 10 a.m. both days.